//------------------------------// // CH 53.1 Trixie Back to School // Story: Twilight's Nightmare // by Nightsclaw //------------------------------//   Trixie lay upon her back. The darkened crystal ceiling was not the most interesting thing to look at. Starlight’s soft breaths were the only thing to violate the utter silence of the night. The rhythmic sound, as familiar as it was tonight, was nothing but a reminder of the sleep that evaded her.  Even sharing Starlight’s room, the comfort of the so-called ‘small and cramped’ room was far beyond that afforded by her wagon. The simple leftovers and spare bedding would have been considered luxury items.   Trixie rolled over, almost drowning in the softness of the still unfamiliar mattress. With every motion, power thrummed and flowed through her limbs. It was like all the years of hard labour was nothing before the blessings from Twilight.  All this power, and I’m being left behind. Relief and disappointment battled in her heart. Her mind could not help but focus on the foal she would be sharing magic lessons with. And she's sending me back to magical kindergarten. Trixie snorted. Starlight stirred, mumbling a few words. “Hrr? mphe quiet.” Trixie winced, her body froze. Barely even breathing, she waited. Fortunately, after a moment, Starlight simply rolled over before sleep reclaimed her.  Breathe in, breathe out. Even the rise and fall of her chest carried power with it. No matter how much this seemed to work for Twilight, it did nothing for her now. Hoards of monsters danced behind her eyelids, eagerly chasing off any hope of sleep.  She needed a distraction. She had to get her mind off things. Here in the silence of the night, with no audience, her normal bluster and showponyship could do nothing to bolster her.   Trixie lifted her hoof and touched her horn, her new thicker, longer horn. It was not much of a change, but with such an intimate part of anatomy, any change was noticeable, no matter how small. This is what you wanted Trixie, to be great and powerful… Twilight had given up a part of her soul and placed it in her. Trixie’s hoof rested against her chest. Power, power unparalleled to any she had wielded before, now rested in her chest. I’m her’s. She would never admit it, but a small worry nagged at her. Had she made the right choice? “Well, too late now,” she breathed out in less than a whisper. She lay there, just letting her senses take in what they could. There were the normal background things. In the darkness and with her new power, all the smells seemed stronger, richer water, the lavender scent of the detergent for the bed cloths, dusty powder and smokey notes from Trixie’s own equipment.    Trixie cast a glance at her friend's sleeping form. She looked normal, peaceful even, but Starlight’s normally reassuring scent was tainted with acrid hints of fear and stress. How much of this is my fault?  Maybe a hug would help? The image of breaking her Starlight came to mind. A flash from the battle added authenticity, it was nothing more than the sound of bones snapping under powerful blows, but it was more than enough. A shudder rocked her body.  She turned away as much she craved the reassurance of physical contact she would not hurt her Starlight. She would not break her friend like she had that door, table and wall yesterday.  With those wonderful thoughts, Trixie's good night of sleep had not just left her, it must have fled the country. She lay there, eyes closed, trying to focus on new tricks, new ways she could wow the crowds.  With every new idea, she thought of the risks, all the things any stage magician had to take into account to be able to perform safely. Yet the battle for Ponyville and the quest to save the foals in the Everfree had changed her. Every risk, everything that could go wrong could instead be exploited. She considered her humble smoke bombs. All I would need to do would be to change the mix. So many of her spells and tools could be used as weapons.    A dry tongue licked parched lips. Trixie lifted her head, and by the reflected moonlight, located the answer to her dehydration. Her aura reached out, not even with enough magic to truly light her horn.  Crack. The jug of water shattered shards of glass exploded. Sharp stings burst across her face.  A heavy sigh escaped her. All the thirst-quenching water ran down the sides of the bedside table. “Maybe Trixie is a bit too great and powerful…” She muttered under her breath.  “No more fireworks, go back to sleep,” Starlight groaned as she buried her head under her pillow. She sniffed, taking in the scents in the air. Luckily there was not a single hint of blood. Her coat must have taken the worst of things.  Slowly, carefully, she extended the grip field from her hoof. It rippled out invisible. To most ponies, the grip field was dull and could barely feel anything. To Trixie, it was more detailed than her normal sense to touch. Years of slight-of-hoof had its uses. The tactile sensations of the soft weave of the bedding felt so different from the hard and jagged fragments of glass.  After a few minutes, each shard of glass was found and gathered.  Twilight or Starlight could have just waved their horn and repaired the jug. They probably could even have put the water back in without even a single mote of dust. Trixie stopped herself from snorting. “I’m powerful, now all I need to do is become great.” Carefully placing each hoof, she quietly slipped from the bedroom. She trickled the smallest amount of magic to her horn. Her eyes screwed shut against the glaring radiance. She strained and clamped down on the magic flow as much as she could. Still, it was bright, but at least now, it was bearable.  By hornlight, she made her way to the bathroom.  She picked her way between and around boxes, barrels and bundles of all shapes and sizes. The wide-open hallways now looked like nothing more than a warehouse with bizarre walls.  Some piles were even stacks of slightly scorched timbers salvaged from one or more of the destroyed homes. Trixie rolled her eyes. “Twilight Sparkle, Alicorn princess of over preparedness and OCD.” Anything and everything that might have a possible use had been dragged inside the castle for storage.  Stepping into the bathroom, she looked to the mirror, assessing the damage. As expected, not a single speck of blood or cut marred her form. With a hoof, she brushed the last glass from her coat. Only a few pieces had caught in her flesh but failed to price her new tough skin.  Her eyes settled on the new addition to her appearance. The twin stripes of magenta ran the full length of both her mane and tail. They marked her Chosen of her Princess for all to see.  Twilight’s words still haunted her. ‘And if I have to spend lives to do it… I will.’ Her reflection trembled, not a hint of arrogance remained.  The wall was cold against her hoof as she rested it next to the mirror. “Why would anypony want to be a Princess?” She asked. Her reflection had no answers. Morning rolled around without mercy, as did Starlight's hoof as it repeatedly shook Trixie. “I’m awake.” She protested as she half-opened her eyes.   “Trixie, why is there a bag of glass shards on the bedside table?” “Oh, that.” Trixie trailed off for a moment before Starlight’s unimpressed stare forced more words out. “I’m starting to see why magic lessons are a good idea.” “You had your magic artificially increased and now you're having trouble controlling it?” Trixie nodded. “The Alicorn amulet was not like this.” “That's because…” Trixie held up her hoof. “I know the Alicorn Amulet was a cheat, a crutch.” She stretched, once again raw physical power thumbed through her limbs. A deep breath filled her lungs and convinced her body it was time to be awake. Despite the rough night, both her senses and mind were as sharp as they had ever been. She looked at the brushes and other grooming supplies. The queue for the shower or bath might be over an hour at this time of day, but still, a showpony had to look their best. “I’ll do it.” The brushes lifted in Starlight’s aura. The bristles lightly tugged as they moved through her mane. The attention was clinical, precise, and yet still, it helped soothe Trixie. The warmth of the reassuring nuzzle did more. “What am I going to do with you?” “Help Trixie truly become Trixie the Great and Powerful?” The brushes paused, frozen in the air. Starlight’s first nod was a small thing. The second was firmer. “It's the only choice Twilight left us.” Bitterness marred the affectionate tone. Oh so carefully, Trixie reached out and touched Starlight's cheek. “I chose this.”  The hard edge to Starlight's gaze faded. She pressed into the contact. “I know.” Trixie leaned closer. “And now I have the chance to be worthy of you.” She almost cringed at how timid, how guilty her voice sounded. “You never needed…” “I know, but I wanted to.” Starlight’s eyes flicked with emotions and thoughts likely far too complex for Trixie to really understand. Breaths were only sounds between them as Trixie held Starlight’s gaze. The chime of magic resumed, followed by the soft rasp of brushes as the grooming continued.  Starlight pulled back. “This won’t be easy.”  “Easy led to the Alicorn Amulet. You can buck easy out the window.” Her Starlight’s smirk was a joy to see. The orb of metal that popped into existence was not.  The metal orb launched itself at her. She did not flinch or try to run as she did when she was a foal. Her hoof started to lift, but Starlight’s magic dragged it back down. Here goes nothing. Trixie’s horn blazed into life, a brilliant aura enveloped the orb. It slammed to a stop as if striking an invisible wall. “Really? A foals ball?” “It’s the best place to start. Simple control exercise.”  The only orb wobbled and vibrated as Trixie’s magic held it aloft. There was no crunch as it compacted, no explosions as her magic destroyed it. No, despite Twilight’s gift, the orb remained intact. Trixie directed a raised eyebrow to Starlight. “Twilight believes in being prepared. That was to be for Flurry Heart's lessons.” “I need Alicorn grade training equipment now?” Well, that explains everything. Starlight laughed. “Don't let it go to your head.”   Trixie glared at her archnemisis. The little metal orb trembled. “You will not fall.” She half growled under her voice. The glare from her horn intensified, and the orb stilled somewhat. “Trixie, you know, the more power you use, the more the orb will resist you.” Starlight said as she pushed her less than appetising rations around the plate. The weight dragging her head reinforced the words. It was as if the world itself was pushing down on the tip of her horn. The field around the orb changed. Rather than being heavy and trying to pull away, it became slippery and rushed towards her. Her hoof just lifted off the ground, the action too late before it was even started.  Thud.  Pain exploded in her horn. The energy held in its luminescence sparked and fizzed. The crystal floor rang as the metallic orb impacted. “Why does it always have to do that?” Starlight rolled her eyes. “You know why.” “Because most unicorn teachers are sadistic?” An amused snort escaped Starlight. “Some of them sure, but no, it does that to ground any magic in your horn.” “It still hurts…” “Trixie… you're one of Twilight's Chosen. You are going to end up in battle. You are going to get hurt…” Lifting the orb by hoof was foal's play. The hoof sized meal orb felt like it weighed less than a bouncy ball. With a casual flick, she tossed it away. Her aura snatched it up before it hit the wall. “This time, take your time. Don’t apply more power until you have to.” As Starlight spoke, the orb shifted, rolled and vibrated.    Every time Trixie had a firm hold, it would try something else to escape.  The scent of roasted grains and dried fruit wafted under Trixie's muzzle. “Eat.” Starlight commanded.  Trixie did not even take her eyes off her energy. One moment of inattentiveness and it would smack her on the horn again. More by feel than anything else, she found her breakfast. Starlight’s aura released it as soon as Trixie got her teeth on it. “I want you to have this orb with you, held in your magic all day every day until I tell you otherwise.”  The old Trixie would have complained. The old Trixie would have rejected it. The new Trixie simply took out her frustration by utterly destroying the ration bar she chewed on.  Trixie was not embarrassed. Even if you had photographic evidence, she would say it was faked. She picked her way through the crowded hallway. Each hooffall by necessary carefully placed. There was just so much stuff scattered everywhere.   Oh no you don’t. Trixie just halted the orb’s flight less than hoof away from her horn. Baleful eyes reflected back at her in its polished metal surface.  A flash of light drew her eyes to where Little Star popped into existence, already vibrating on the spot. “Come on, Trixie, you don’t want to be late for class on the first day…”  Thunk. Trixie sighed as she held her hoof out to catch the now inactive orb.  Mini-Twilight tilted her head, ear half-cocked as she examined the training orb. Trixie offered it to her. She grabbed it with both her hooves and gazed into its reflective surface.  A scroll flashed into existence, magenta lines and words scrolling themselves across its surface before it winked out again. “Now come on, we can't be late.” Not even a blink later, and Starlight was before her. No, Starlight had not appeared. Trixie had been moved. No flash, no sensation in her horn.  Trixie’s eyes followed the little lavender pony as she settled herself down, surrounded by a small mountain of school supplies. What are you? Almost numbly, Trixie settled on the cushions prepared for her.  Starlight tapped her hoof. “Trixie, your orb…”  Trixie looked over to see it floating there in Little Star’s aura. A second aura of a slightly different colour seemed to surge whenever the orb tried to struggle. How? “Little Star.” “Yes, Miss Starlight.” “Can you remove your spell work from the Training orb so Trixie can continue her practice?” “Yes, Miss.” Both auras vanished. Trixie caught it in her own, and immediately the orb began to struggle. Your not going to get me again. On the face of things, this class was utterly ridiculous. A foal in a lesson beside a fully grown mare. Only the threat of the orb stopped Trixie from shaking her head. That one bit of spell work, holding the orb still without effort, was so far beyond Trixie it was not funny. Even though every bit of the magic had felt simple, somehow, it had all been combined to do something impossible.  Starlight started the lesson. It was a good thing that Trixie already knew some of the content, so she managed to keep that Tartarus damned orb from striking her horn. At least she knew how to take notes by hoof, there was no way she was going to be able to levitate a quill as well as the orb.   Twilight's presence brushed against Trixie’s entire being. Even without a single sound or scent, she knew exactly where her Princess was. Twilight strode into the room with her long elegant strides. “Mummy.”  The familiar flashes of light marked Little Star departure and arrival points for her teleport.  Thunk. The muscles in Trixie’s leg tensed, and her limb vibrated. Instead of smashing the orb, she once more took it up in her aura.  Twilight gave the smallest of nods before looking to Starlight. “How are your personal students?” “They have potential.”  “Good. I know I’m asking a lot of you.” Starlight shook her head. “It's better than the alternative.” “Do not neglect the rest of your duties.”   “Don’t worry about anything here, Twilight. We will hold the castle while you are out….” Starlight glanced to Little Star for a moment. “Doing what you have to.” Twilight nodded. Before her cold ancient eyes looked straight through mear flesh and right into Trixie's very soul, “Trixie, it would be advisable to make sure you use this time to its fullest.” “I will, Princess.”  Little Star clung to her mother. As casual as the embrace looked, it was clear the amount of effect the filly put into the embrace. It was as if she thought by strength alone she might keep her mother from leaving. Twilight turned her attention back to her daughter. The harsh eyes of the ruler returned to the tender ones of a loving mother. “How would you like to learn to make cookies?” She asked as she held her daughter close and nuzzled her.  The excited chatter about what sort of treats they should make echoed back long after they had exited the classroom.  So much of Ponyville had been lost. Whole buildings torn down due to damage or for raw materials.  What was once the most welcoming place in Equestria was now as friendly as a levelled horn. Ponies patrolled the walls, weapons ready. Cannons peaked out from the balconies of the crystal castle. The red paintwork informed all they were not loaded with party supplies.  Applejack stalked through the new fields. The pegasi circling overhead kept a wide berth as Rainbow rocketed through the air. Her drunken flight path advertising her power as just as  unstable as Trixie’s own. With each pass, with every manoeuvre, Rainbow got better. Minute by minute, she mastered Twilight’s gift. Trixie’s glare looked back at her from the metallic sheen of the orb. Her eyes narrowed as they tracked the prismatic mare. Anything you can do, Trixie can do better.   She marched to the target range. Magically reinforced piles of junk were lined up shaped into foalish approximations of monsters.  Thunk.  One breath, then two. Trixie took up the orb in her magic and tried again. It was not long before explosions and Trixie's shouts cursing a certain metal orb rang out over Ponyville.